Teaching and Research Infrastructure
Separations
Separations are an essential aspect of nearly every kind of chemistry. Whether it is rudimentary, such as isolating organic product in a separatory funnel, or a complex instrumental method, one always has to separate the species of interest from its matrix of other species with which it is combined. Through your studies, you will practice separations using separatory funnels, by distillation, crystallization, thin layer chromatography, gel size-exclusion, gel electrophoresis, and liquid and gas chromatography.
Our instrumentation includes:
- Multiple gas chromatographic instruments (GC-MS and GC-FID)
- Micromass Quattro II Liquid chromatrograph (LC-MS)
- Multple high performance liquid chromatagraphs (HPLC)
- Gel electrophoresis
Separations
Separations are an essential aspect of nearly every kind of chemistry. Whether it is rudimentary, such as isolating organic product in a separatory funnel, or a complex instrumental method, one always has to separate the species of interest from its matrix of other species with which it is combined. Through your studies, you will practice separations using separatory funnels, by distillation, crystallization, thin layer chromatography, gel size-exclusion, gel electrophoresis, and liquid and gas chromatography.
Our instrumentation includes:
- Multiple gas chromatographic instruments (GC-MS and GC-FID)
- Micromass Quattro II Liquid chromatrograph (LC-MS)
- Multple high performance liquid chromatagraphs (HPLC)
- Gel electrophoresis
Photons & Spectroscopy
Light matter interactions are extremely important for characterization of materials properties, dynamics and kinetics. They are also important for initiating photochemical and laser-mediated process.
Our instrumentation includes:
- Cary 300 Bio UV/Vis spectrometer with diffuse reflectance attachment and thermostat as well as multiple other UV/Vis spectrometers.
- Cary Eclipse fluorometer with solid sample holder and thermostat.
- Two research grade Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometers. The newest is a Nicolet iS50. We also have a venerable Nicolet Protege 460. Both have attachments for diffuse reflectance and attenuated total reflectance measurements.
- Raman module to the iS50.
- Multiple other IR spectrometers.
- Perkin Elmer AAnalyst 800 Atomic absorption spectrometer (AA).
- Quanta Ray INDI-HG-205 Nd:YAG nanosecond pulsed laser with second and third harmonic generation.
- Handheld Innova XRF avenger X-ray fluorescence (XRF) tool.
Photons & Spectroscopy
Light matter interactions are extremely important for characterization of materials properties, dynamics and kinetics. They are also important for initiating photochemical and laser-mediated process.
Our instrumentation includes:
- Cary 300 Bio UV/Vis spectrometer with diffuse reflectance attachment and thermostat as well as multiple other UV/Vis spectrometers.
- Cary Eclipse fluorometer with solid sample holder and thermostat.
- Two research grade Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometers. The newest is a Nicolet iS50. We also have a venerable Nicolet Protege 460. Both have attachments for diffuse reflectance and attenuated total reflectance measurements.
- Raman module to the iS50.
- Multiple other IR spectrometers.
- Perkin Elmer AAnalyst 800 Atomic absorption spectrometer (AA).
- Quanta Ray INDI-HG-205 Nd:YAG nanosecond pulsed laser with second and third harmonic generation.
- Handheld Innova XRF avenger X-ray fluorescence (XRF) tool.
Structure Determination
One of the most fundamental aspects of chemistry is determining what atoms are bound to each other in molecules and compounds. This aspect of structure determination is performed with an array of techniques. X-ray powder diffraction (XRD)is a powerful technique for determining the structure of solids as well as their chemical composition. Mass spectrometry (MS) is an essential tool for characterizing molecules as is nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR).
Our instrumentation includes:
- Bruker D2 Phaser X-ray diffractometer (XRD)
- Bruker Avance III 400 MHz nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer 90 MHz NMR.
- Gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection (GC-MS)
- Liquid chromatography with mass spectrometric detection (LC-MS) with a Micromass Quattro II.
- The XRD is housed within the Center for Microanalysis and Imaging Research and Training (CMIRT). Further instrumentation for structure determination is also housed there including electron microscopy (SEM and TEM) and elemental analysis (EDS).
Structure Determination
One of the most fundamental aspects of chemistry is determining what atoms are bound to each other in molecules and compounds. This aspect of structure determination is performed with an array of techniques. X-ray powder diffraction (XRD)is a powerful technique for determining the structure of solids as well as their chemical composition. Mass spectrometry (MS) is an essential tool for characterizing molecules as is nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR).
Our instrumentation includes:
- Bruker D2 Phaser X-ray diffractometer (XRD)
- Bruker Avance III 400 MHz nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer 90 MHz NMR.
- Gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection (GC-MS)
- Liquid chromatography with mass spectrometric detection (LC-MS) with a Micromass Quattro II.
- The XRD is housed within the Center for Microanalysis and Imaging Research and Training (CMIRT). Further instrumentation for structure determination is also housed there including electron microscopy (SEM and TEM) and elemental analysis (EDS).
Optical & IR Microscopy
Optical and infrared (IR) microscopy are essential for forensic analysis and materials characterization. Our instrumentation includes:
Our instrumentation includes:
- Nicolet iN10 infrared microscope
- Olympus BX43F polarized light microscope with epifluorescence accessory
- Leica DM750P polarizing light microscopes (2)
- Leica DM750P comparison microscope
- Leica EZ4 stereo scopes (2)
- Leica DM750 compound microscope
Other optical microscopy facilities are available in the Center for Microanalysis and Imaging Research and Training (CMIRT).
Optical & IR Microscopy
Optical and infrared (IR) microscopy are essential for forensic analysis and materials characterization. Our instrumentation includes:
Our instrumentation includes:
- Nicolet iN10 infrared microscope
- Olympus BX43F polarized light microscope with epifluorescence accessory
- Leica DM750P polarizing light microscopes (2)
- Leica DM750P comparison microscope
- Leica EZ4 stereo scopes (2)
- Leica DM750 compound microscope
Other optical microscopy facilities are available in the Center for Microanalysis and Imaging Research and Training (CMIRT).
Electron Microscopy
Electron microscopy facilities are housed within the Center for Microanalysis and Imaging Research and Training(CMIRT). Electron microscopy allows us to perform elemental and structural analysis with spatial resolution far below that of optical microscopy. Objects as small as 30–50 nm can be observed with our scanning electron microscope (SEM) and less than 1 nm with our transmission electron microscope (TEM).
Our instrumentation includes:
- FEI Quanta 400 environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM)
- Oxford INCA energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDS)
- FEI Tecnai T12T transmission electron microscope (TEM)
Electron Microscopy
Electron microscopy facilities are housed within the Center for Microanalysis and Imaging Research and Training(CMIRT). Electron microscopy allows us to perform elemental and structural analysis with spatial resolution far below that of optical microscopy. Objects as small as 30–50 nm can be observed with our scanning electron microscope (SEM) and less than 1 nm with our transmission electron microscope (TEM).
Our instrumentation includes:
- FEI Quanta 400 environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM)
- Oxford INCA energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDS)
- FEI Tecnai T12T transmission electron microscope (TEM)
Instrumental Analysis
A wide variety of other instrumentation is also available in the department.
Our instrumentation includes:
- Tousimis AutoSamDri 815 critical point drier
- Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis
- Mettler Toledo DSC821e differential scanning calorimeter
- TA Instruments TGA 2050 thermogravimetric analyzer
- Wyatt Technologies light scattering detection instrument (Wyatt QELS, Optilab DSP and Dawn EOS) attached to a Perkin Elmer Series 200 HPLC
- Smiths Detection ion mobility spectrometer
Instrumental Analysis
A wide variety of other instrumentation is also available in the department.
Our instrumentation includes:
- Tousimis AutoSamDri 815 critical point drier
- Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis
- Mettler Toledo DSC821e differential scanning calorimeter
- Wyatt Technologies light scattering detection instrument (Wyatt QELS, Optilab DSP and Dawn EOS) attached to a Perkin Elmer Series 200 HPLC
- Smiths Detection ion mobility spectrometer